I’m in Trouble Because The Emperor Thinks My Time is Limited - Chapter 36
After that day, Sionel became extremely busy again. It seemed that things had reached a critical point, as Cassius had come storming in, ready to kill. Sionel, with a disgruntled face, was dragged away by Cassius, disappearing from sight.
Thanks to that, I experienced my first taste of true freedom since my confinement had been lifted.
“Wait, so… I’m supposed to wear this?”
“Yes! It will look absolutely stunning on you!”
However, before I could fully enjoy my newfound freedom, I was faced with a new crisis. I was staring at the object in front of me, sweating nervously.
“Can’t I just wear my uniform instead?”
“What are you saying?!”
As expected, I had been invited to the Founding Festival banquet, and not just as a regular guest—no, I was to attend as the Emperor’s partner.
The banquet held by the Imperial Family in celebration of the Founding Festival was no ordinary event. Nobles from across the empire, as well as key figures from other nations, would gather for what would be an extravagant day of splendor. And I was to attend as Sionel’s partner.
When the maids first delivered the news, I had felt a small twinge of excitement. This would be my first time attending as the Emperor’s partner rather than as his bodyguard. But that initial excitement was soon crushed when they presented me with what I was expected to wear.
“Think about it, Luna. There’s no way a dress covered in pink lace is going to suit me.”
The necklace, earrings, and tiara adorned with massive jewels could be overlooked, but I would never, ever wear that dress. I would look like a child playing dress-up.
“It’s the latest design in high society fashion.”
“Sure, but shouldn’t it at least suit me?”
“Hmm.”
Luna lifted the fluttering dress and held it up against me. Her expression soured immediately.
“Yes, this won’t do.”
“See?”
“We’re running short on time, but I’ll call a designer. We need to make a new dress designed specifically for you, Miss Lindel! There’s no need to follow trends—we’ll set them ourselves!”
Luna’s enthusiasm suddenly ignited. Though I appreciated her forward-thinking mindset, this wasn’t exactly what I wanted.
I shook my head firmly. “No, I’ll just wear my uniform. It’s what I’ve always done.”
“But this time you’ll be attending as His Majesty’s partner! You absolutely cannot wear that drab uniform!”
“Is it really that strange?”
“Do you think the other ladies are going to let you outshine them? You need to make it clear who the future Empress is!”
I hadn’t even confirmed that I’d be the Empress, but it seemed my opinion didn’t matter at all. Honestly, I didn’t mind wearing a dress, as long as it wasn’t something like what they were suggesting. The real issue was the process of choosing and designing the dress.
Although I had never lived the life of a noble lady, I had seen enough of this spectacle in both the Imperial Palace and at the Count’s estate to last a lifetime. The process of selecting and crafting noble attire was no easy task. It wasn’t unusual for them to try on dozens of outfits before making a final decision. Just thinking about having to do the same exhausted me.
Then, there was a knock at the door.
“Miss Lindel, Lady Julia Areta is here to see you.”
The attendant outside the door announced Julia’s visit. I had already heard from Cassius that Julia would be stopping by today, so I wasn’t too surprised. I told the attendant to let her in, and the door opened almost immediately.
“Welcome, Miss Julia.”
“It’s been a while, Miss Lindel. How have you been?”
Today, Julia was as proud and composed as ever. But after our previous encounter, I knew she wasn’t as cold as she appeared, so I greeted her warmly.
However, before I could say anything more, Julia’s cold voice cut through the air.
“Luna, is it? Your words were quite misleading.”
Julia’s voice was sharp, and the atmosphere in the room instantly changed. The surrounding maids stood up straight, visibly tense. Even I felt a little on edge. Surprisingly, though, Luna was the only one who remained unphased, meeting Julia’s gaze with a defiant expression.
“Lady Areta, may I ask why you think that?”
Julia raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by Luna’s boldness. The maid standing closest to Luna looked like she was about to faint.
“I overheard you earlier, confidently stating that one must follow trends. I find that a rather arrogant claim.”
Julia gave a slight nod, as if acknowledging the truth in her words. Even such a small gesture exuded elegance.
“But don’t you think it’s also old-fashioned to insist on wearing only dresses?”
“Oh!”
Luna gasped in admiration.
Wait, what? What was she admiring?
“So, do you have something else in mind, Lady Areta?”
“Of course, one should wear whatever makes them shine the most.”
“That’s certainly true, but…”
Luna glanced at me before turning back to Julia.
“While a knight’s uniform is certainly neat, it doesn’t suit a ballroom.”
“No one said the uniform had to be exactly the same.”
“Ah, I see…!”
Wait, what? What was going on now?
I looked around, wondering if I was the only one confused by their conversation, and the other maids seemed equally puzzled. Luna, however, was enthusiastically nodding along with Julia’s words.
“You’re suggesting a differentiation strategy! Miss Lindel will stand out more than anyone else among the sea of dresses!”
“You catch on quickly. However, you’ve made one mistake.”
“Oh! What did I get wrong?”
Julia turned and looked at me with a confident gaze. Instantly, everyone’s attention shifted to me.
“Miss Lindel will stand out no matter what she wears. That radiant presence can’t be easily concealed.”
I still had no idea what Julia was thinking. Her bold words left even Luna speechless. The room fell silent, but Julia didn’t seem the least bit affected. Instead, I felt like I had taken the brunt of the impact, despite doing nothing wrong.
“Why am I the one feeling embarrassed?”
“Nelly, bring it here.”
Julia called out to her attendant, who quickly placed a white box on the table. The box, tied neatly with a golden ribbon, was clearly of high quality.
“What is this?”
“It’s a gift for you, Miss Lindel. It’s the reason I came today.”
Still confused, I looked at the box. Julia gave her attendant a slight nod, and the ribbon was untied, revealing its contents.
“Wow!”
“Oh my, it’s stunning!”
The maids gasped in admiration. Inside the box was a white uniform, made of luxurious fabric and adorned with golden embroidery, including a dragon motif. It was not at all gaudy but had an elegant, classic appeal. The six gold buttons gleamed as if they had been crafted from actual gold.
It was obvious at a glance that this was no ordinary piece of clothing.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
“I designed it myself, though I’m sure it’s not perfect.”
“You designed it yourself?”
That wasn’t an ordinary skill. The idea that a noble lady had designed this herself was impressive. I looked at Julia with admiration, and for the first time, a faint blush appeared on her porcelain cheeks.
“Yes. Though my skills may be lacking, I brought this here hoping you might wear it.”
“Lacking? It’s incredible.”
Julia’s blush deepened slightly at my words.
“It wasn’t specifically made for the banquet, but if you don’t mind, would you consider wearing it that night?”
For the first time, Julia’s voice sounded a little nervous. Her uncharacteristic tension brought a sudden hush to the room, as everyone seemed to be waiting for my response.
I had no idea why the atmosphere had become so tense. But this wasn’t a bad situation for me.
“Thank you. I’ll gladly wear it.”
At my answer, a small cheer erupted from the maids, and Julia’s face bloomed into a radiant smile, one I had only seen once before. She truly was a beautiful person.
Up until now, I had always found Julia intimidating—no, truthfully, she still was—but I had no doubt she bore me goodwill. I couldn’t understand her reasoning, but I was grateful for her kindness.
“Thank you so much.”
“Oh, it’s nothing…”
“I’ve always thought you have a beautiful smile, Miss Julia.”
I blurted out my thoughts as I admired her smile. For a moment, I regretted saying it out loud, but since it wasn’t a bad thing to say, I simply smiled shyly.
I rarely interacted with noble ladies outside of official duties, so I felt a little awkward. But Julia’s reaction was even stranger.
“My lady! You need to breathe!”
“Gasp!”
Julia’s attendant struck her on the back. At first, I thought the attendant had gone mad, but Julia suddenly gasped for air, clutching her chest as if she were having a fit.
“Miss Julia?!”
“Gah! Cough!”
Julia collapsed toward the floor, but I managed to catch her in time. In my arms, she trembled uncontrollably, as if she were having a seizure.
I was about to call for a priest when the attendant started muttering strange words.
“My lady! Listen carefully! The person in front of you is not Miss Lindel but a pile of flour dough! Remember that—it’s just flour dough!”
“What in the world—”
“Please don’t speak, Miss Lindel! If you do, my lady might die! She’s reached her limit!”
Wait, what had I done?!
The situation was pure chaos. The attendant babbled nonsense while trying to calm Julia down—what did they mean by flour dough?—and I, forbidden from speaking, held onto her tightly. The maids around us were in an uproar. Luna, who seemed more experienced with such situations, called for a priest just as the door burst open.
The newcomers were none other than Sionel and Cassius.
“Julia!”
Cassius, clearly alarmed by the commotion, rushed to his sister’s side. Sionel, after a brief look of surprise, wore an expression of exasperation. I passed Julia over to her brother.
“She suddenly couldn’t breathe…!”
“Julia! Calm down and listen to me! The person you’re looking at isn’t Miss Lindel—it’s just a broomstick!”
“……”
This time, it was a broomstick.
I was speechless.
What was going on with everyone?